PERSONAL FREEDOM

I.                   BELIEVERS ARE POWERFUL AND VICTORIOUS

1.     We have been delivered from Powers of darkness

Colossians 1:13

¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins.

2.     God promises to keep us from the evil one

2 Thessalonians  3:3

³ But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

3.     The Holy Spirit Within Us is Greater than anything

1 John 4:4

⁴ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

4.     We have Power in Jesus name

Mark 16:15

¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name, they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

II.                OUR VICTORY IS NOT UNCONDITIONAL

1.       We must keep ourselves

1 John 5:18

¹⁸ We know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

2.       We must remain submissive to God

James 4:7

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you

III.             BELIEVERS MUST HAVE A CHECK UP EVERY NOW AND THEN

1.     Ananias and Saphirra

Acts 5:1-3

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. ² And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. ³ But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?

2.     The Corinthian Christians

2 Corinthians 11:1-4

Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. ² For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. ³ But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ⁴ For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

3.     We must Cleanse Ourselves

2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:1

¹⁴ Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? ¹⁵ And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” ¹⁷ Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” ⁶“I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.” 7 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

4.     We must examine doctrine

1 Timothy 4:1-2

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, ² speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.

5.     We must remain armed

Ephesians 6:14

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

6.     We must examine ourselves

2 Corinthians 13:5

⁵ Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

IV.             AREAS THAT MUST BE GUARDED

1.       Unforgiveness

Mark 11:25-26

And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your father in heaven may also forgive you, your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”

2.       Occult or Cult Involvement:

1 Corinthians 10:20-21

²⁰ Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.

“The occult -(the word comes from the Latin for “hidden” or secret”) represents the spiritual realm where people seek either knowledge or power from any source other than God. Some occult practices include witchcraft (black or white magic), astrology, horoscopes, Ouija board, psychics, palm reading, yoga, ESP, eastern mysticism, hypnotism, handwriting analysis, tarot cards, water witching, charms, eight-ball, automatic handwriting, levitation, gurus, spirit guides, Satanism, voodoo, fraternal orders and secret societies such as Masonry, Shrines, Eastern Star, gangs, fraternities, and sororities, et cetera.”

5.     Generational Issues: 

Exodus 34:7

“Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”

6.     Sexual sins

1 Corinthians 6:16

“What? Know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh.”

V.                STEPS TO VICTORY OVER DEMONIC ATTACK

1.     Believe -Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your deliverer from sin and all the power of the devil

Joel 2:32

 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls

2.     Confess - Confess, repent of, and renounce (admit their sinfulness, reject, and turn away from,) all known sins and all current and past associations with evil, including ungodly relationships and occult or false religious practices  (e.g. Ouija boards, séances, horoscopes, psychic hotlines, Masons, Eastern Star, Jehovah Witness, Islam, fraternities, fornication, adultery, and so forth)

3.     Forgiveness- Ask God to forgive you and cleanse you from your current and past sins, and the sins of your ancestors.  Forgive all others who have wronged you, no matter how difficult it is, or how badly they hurt you.  This is very important.

4.     Take Authority- Take authority over Satan and all his evil Spirits and command them to leave in the name of Jesus.

Mark 16:17

¹⁷ And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 

5.     Maintain Victory